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Was looking a bit dorky and walked to the local coffee shop a half block away from work to procure some hot chocolate for our handbell choir event this week in my brighter-than-the-sun high viz rain jacket. Two cars almost ran me over. I could still see my work building and two whole vehicles didn’t see me and could have flattened me. As a pedestrian.

My high viz jacket makes me feel fairly invincible as a pedestrian. I’m not stupid. I look at the cars to make sure they’re stopping and that they appear to see me. How could they not see this?:

I thought the first guy in the truck saw me -I even waved- and I didn’t realize until my heels were in jeopardy that there was problem. He looked apologetic at least. Within 6 feet another truck turning out of the same spot (with a stop sign) nearly took out my toes. Another apologetic wave.

I actually wasn’t mad. It’s easy to forget to look out for pedestrians. I drive a car, too. But riding and walking in hostile environments has made me aware of the underlying issues in such interactions. Also, I like to read books like Straphanger by Taras Grescoe and watch films like Urbananized by Gary Hustwit that challenge the often unquestioned supremacy of the automobile. Good thing doing yoga has made me a more compassionate person, too.

I hope that nearly running over a person in a cross walk wearing high viz yellow when they were supposed to have stopped was the little jolt each needed to pay better attention while driving.